Divided

What in the world is going on in this country? I read a Tweet and then a blog post from someone hating on Chris Pratt. I mean, big time hating on him. Why? Because he posted a poem that he said he ‘found’. Honestly, I’m not sure if he found it or wrote it but I read it and liked it. It was truth.

Both sides against the middle

The poem was about how divided we are. How the right and left just hate each other, without even listening to one another. But on top of that, and this person’s rage was evidence of this, that if you don’t choose sides, both sides hate you!

I’ll tell you right now, I do not fall into the right or left. I agree with parts of each and disagree with other parts. Neither fit into my view, which is shaped by the Bible. I can’t abide abortion, but I can’t abide hating immigrants either. I guess when it comes right down to it, I’m fine with both the right and the left hating me. As long as I know Jesus loves me, I’m not too concerned about the rest.

Spin

I will say the media plays a big role. I don’t subscribe to Trump’s tirades about ‘fake news’ and I think he’s 100% wrong that they’re the enemy of the people. But…just like politicians…I think they spin things the way their news outlets want them to. Not always. But definitely enough to fuel the hate.

Kindness

Has the hate increased since Trump took office? I think in some ways, yes. Certainly the white nationalist movement has. Others are feeling emboldened by a president with no filter. If he can say what he feels, why can’t we?

Why can’t we? Because kindness, that’s why. That’s also why he shouldn’t. (However, why he shouldn’t do the things he does is a whole separate blog post. Or fifty.) Let’s talk about kindness for a second. Our country in general seems to have lost grasp of being kind to one another. It gives me a lot of hope to see stories about people helping each other, but then on the next screen, or further down my Twitter feed, I see evilness and hatred.

Love

So, here’s the point of this blog post. Where does all this hatred towards each other leave our country? Is there an actual reason we can’t agree on things that are best for all? I think we’re in bad shape if we can’t love people, or even be nice to them, if they don’t agree with everything we think. We’re all individuals with minds, bodies, and souls. All made in the image of God. Have you considered that when you bitch at someone because they want a wall built, you’re bitching at a child of God?

God never said ‘love your enemy as long as they agree with you’, did he?